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March 23, 2010

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Republicans are doing their best to use Senate procedure to derail the reconciliation bill. And true to form, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn has introduced a few amendments that will be very hard for Democrats to vote against, including no Viagra for sex offenders.

No Erectile Dysfunction Drugs To Sex Offenders – This amendment would enact recommendations from the Government Accountability Office to stop fraudulent payments for prescription drugs prescribed by dead providers or, to dead patients. This amendment also prohibits coverage of Viagra and other ED medications to convicted child molesters, rapists, and sex offenders, and prohibits coverage of abortion drugs. (Note: the creation of exchanges could allow sex offenders to receive taxpayer-funded Viagra and other ED drugs unless Congress expressly prohibits this action – see additional background attached)

Bureaucrat Cap and Trade – This amendment would ensure that no provisions in the health bill increase the size of government bureaucracies in Washington, D.C. This amendment requires that for each government bureaucrat added to a government agency as a result of this act, there must be a corresponding decrease in a government bureaucrat at that agency. The federal government should not grow the bureaucracy in Washington, DC when one in 10 Americans is looking for work and twice as many are underemployed.

Congress Should Not Lecture Americans About Fiscal Responsibility - This amendment would strike the creation of a new $375 million government program the new health bill (The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) intended to promote personal and financial responsibility. It is ironic that Congress, that amassed a $12 trillion deficit, should lecture Americans about financial responsibility. This government “responsibility” program duplicates existing government programs and adds hundreds of millions of dollars to the tax burden funds. In short, there is nothing responsible about the new responsibility program.

Repeal New Powers Given to the Secretary of HHS. Nearly 1,700 times in the new health bill (The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), the Secretary of HHS is given new authorities to write regulations, issue definitions, and decide on the fate of Americans’ health care. Congress should be empowering patients and physicians, not bureaucrats in Washington, DC.

If You Like the Health Plan You Have, You Can Keep It. President Obama promised that Americans who like their health care plan would be able to keep it. However, the Congressional Budget Office has said that millions of people will lose their current coverage under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately, for many Americans, the reconciliation bill is even worse news, as it made changes to some grandfathering provisions. The changes to grandfathering provisions would mean that individuals with guaranteed renewable plans in the individual market will NOT be able to keep their current coverage at the current price, but would immediately be issued a new policy and charged more. This amendment strikes changes to grandfathered plans, so Americans who like the health care they have actually can keep it.

Implement Republican Ideas President Obama Has Endorsed To Crack Down on Waste, Fraud, and Abuse. The President’s Proposal for health reform, released on February 22, 2010, highlighted nine Republican ideas to combat waste, fraud, and abuse. This amendment includes each of those policy provisions which have been endorsed by President Obama. Certainly Washington politicians should be serious about stemming the hemorrhaging of taxpayer dollars lost to waste, fraud, and abuse. Senators will have an opportunity to vote on proposals which have received bipartisan support, and which the President has endorsed.

Ensure Nondiscrimination For Providers Refusing To Perform Abortions and Respect for the Rights of Conscience. This amendment would ensure health care providers are not forced to participate in abortions or discriminated against because they choose not to perform abortions. The federal government should never require health care providers to violate their deeply held moral, ethical or religious beliefs or discriminate against them because they choose to exercise their consciences and not be involved with abortion. This amendment would protect health care providers from being required or coerced to perform abortions.

Exempt Class I Medical Devices from New Taxation. Taxing latex gloves and band-aids is not health reform and only increases the cost of health care for patients. This amendment would exempt all Class I medical devices – such as band-aids, wheelchairs, hospital beds, and surgical gowns – from new federal taxation.

Motion to Commit Bill to Committee and Return In Compliance with President Obama’s Promises. During his presidential campaign, then-Senator Obama repeatedly made several promises related to what health reform would accomplish. The bill he signed today breaks those promises. This amendment would send the reconciliation bill back to the Finance Committee and direct the Committee to report back out a bill which would allow him to keep his promise.

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abortion rears it's ugly head again but my absolute favorite is the grandfathered plan amendment. How will they vote against that one after all of these months of ensuring we can keep our plans? wow and this is just Coburn,I'm on pins and needles waitin for DeMint oh and then we move to Inhofe who is sure to have a few cap and tax goodies to add and they are planning to introduce the public option according to the denver post.wheee

They can vote against these amendments but they will be on record as supporting viagra for rapists and child molesters.Their support of Viagra for rapists will be noted in campaign commercials this year and for years to come.

What about the mindless Governor of NY, offering conjugal visits and spending $778k of tax payer money for "Love Trailers" for prison inmates. Wonder what all the NY residents who are waiting for their held up tax checks think of that? Typical Democrat.

Posted By: What about the mindless Governor of NY, offering conjugal visits and spending $778k of tax payer mon | March 23, 2010 at 05:07 PM

I can see the campaign commercials now-"senator so and so and Barack Obama ran for the last year on the premise that if you like your current plan you can keep it."Enter star wars music,"but then how does sen so and so explain his vote to deny you this benefit? show senator stating the position above then show him voting against it. then show two pictures of senator and say in an ominous voice-senator so and so,which face can American's trust? " perfect-then play happy music and say GOP senator is pledging to repeal this bill and if that fails pledges to defund it and starve the beast" until it is dead.so ask yourself America, which senator do you want representing you" show the two faces of dem senator and the vote count and then show the GOP senator.wow,this stuff writes itself

The only amendment that may pass is one that provides for a public option insurance program which is very popular with the public and democrats in the house of representatives and at least 43 senators.

As a Independent that leans Democratic which supports the "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act", I do like some of these amendments that Sen. Coburn has introduced. Specifically I support the "No Erectile Dysfunction Drugs To Sex Offenders", "Exempt Class I Medical Devices", the proposals to further remove waste and fraud.
These should be adopted in this reconcilation bill or as a stand-alone bill to further make the "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" better for all Americans.

Very smart. And my understanding of reconciliation is that each of these gets an up or down vote, just like BHO wanted. R's should make this as painful as humanly possible for these folks and send it back to House to vote on again and again and again. They are bankrupting the country - I don't feel sorry for them in the least that they need to take a stand on viagra for sex offenders or whatever else can be dreamed up.

How about no federal money to fund Erectile Dysfunction drugs for anyone?
If you can't get it up, God doesn't want you to procreate. And since that's all sex is supposed to be for, you are against God.

Here's the deal on taxes - if you are married and live in any kind of high dollar area, it is very possible to get to household income of 250K. That not executives level comp, that's middle class comp levels in the Northeast.
Your taxes are going up 10 cents on the dollar - not 10%, but 10 cents on the dollar. 3.8% medicare tax on wages and 'unearned income' (I love that term - interest on money you save is unearned - like you stole it!) Bush tax cuts expire - 4.6% increase in the top tax bracket. Throw in the inevitable increase in state taxes to deal with the massive increase in Medicaid recipients, and you are easily seeing 10 cents of every dollar you earn MORE going to fed/state taxes. So let's say you're paying around 40% in taxes now on your little middle class 250K household - that extra 10 cents on the dollar is a 25% tax increase. Oh, and by the way, that medicare tax increase is specifically not indexed to inflation,so every year more and more people will pay.
I guess this is the 'spreading around' part.

Independents in Virginia - "Jhoger--I wouldn't call it discipline, I would call it the same things the Democrats call it when Republicans do it--OBSTRUCTIONISTS. Can you tell me any difference between the two?"

The difference is obvious. These are dilatory and destructive amendments that fundamentally change the character of the bill from what was voted out of committee. They are anti-democratic. Further many are unlikely to be relevant to budget reconciliation.

The Republicans have been very up-front in stating that these amendments are not serious and that they are simply abusing the process to create delay or kill the bill.

They are on record saying as much.
Given that, I don't see how it would be hard to defend quickly dispensing by voting No on any/all of these amendments.

Republican obstructionism has clearly been targeted at stopping Obama from passing the agenda he has a mandate from 2008 election to pass. Elections matter.

the public will say 'well Tommy, honey, if it was so important to get in the bill, why didn't you get it in before it got signed?' they'll recall, 'oh, yeah, you were saying no to everything before, and now you realize you're on the wrong side of history.'

Hey, all good marxists supported these fine "moral" positions that Coburn is about to burn. Marxist Communists have to show charity to evil to initiate their means to an end. No pun intended on the "end". Hating America and and redefining language and history is their full time job. They will reap a reward, but probably won't be the Utopia they have worshiped along the way.

No, actually it's easy. You just vote against any and all amendments. Don't read them, don't consider them, don't care unless Reid says it is important.
It's called Discipline.
Posted By: jhoger | March 23, 2010
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This is just what the Dems do.Dont read the bill?. Dont vote on it?. Just do what the leader says?. I thought they represented people and not their leader?
This is called communism !.

Holy Cow....I haven't been on this site since the day before the healthcare bill was voted on. The right wingers are going insane. I guess constant losing does that to you. I see that the fairy tale that the bill was dead is now shattered so they have created the new and improved fairy tale....the 2010 Massacre!
Oh well...most of these bloggers were insisting McCain was going to win right up until the election. I'm sure they will feed themselves on urban legends and uncredible sources until Nov.
In the meantime, I hope they run that "so and so voted for Viagara for child molestors" ad. The Willie Horton ad worked back in the day but moderates and independents don't take to well to those ads anymore.

The smart thing to do might be to introduce some of these things as new bills. So that the Republicans can turn around and fillibuster them, in all likelihood.
It's not necessarily the kind of thing to make it into campaign ads because it's such obvious political maneuvering.

Silly obstructionists. How can you now want to propose an amendment to install Republican ideas after the fact when nobody would play ball. That is what you get for being totally obstructionist, your ideas are put on the backburner. You are lucky that Obama and Dems made such a huge attempt to reach across party lines and included over 200 republican ideas and amendments to the legislation without even a single on of your votes.

Pretty brilliant political move, I have to admit. By the way, GOP are the ones that bankrupt this country every time they get power. Once the economy recovers, we should jack up taxes to Eisenhower/Nixon levels. Problem solved.

If the shoe was on the other front, Democrats would be doing the exact same thing..Democrats were against reconciliation when it didn't benefit them and visa versa..Politicians are the most hypocritical bunch of people, I have ever seen..To say one party is more genuine then the other is just partisan BS..That is why I have been an Independent since 18 years old.

This is the act of trying to stop the clock to prolonng the game by fouling....LMAO. People aren't stupid....well, the people introducing these amendments are. This is ineviteable. The sooner you realize it and get back to work with an actual agenda other than obstructing, the better off you will be.

interesting ideas...why didn't he introduce them in the past year when the opportunity was there to work together? hmmm...guess it wasn't really about the bill or the american people, only about defeating obama.
obstructionist, party of hate, party of rudeness, low class and lowball tactics, greed champions...typical, no TRADEMARKS, of republicanism!

The Dems should turn around after the reconciliation vote and submit each of these items as a seperate bill, especially since Republicans seem to like their laws on a single page, in crayon.
But let them vote on every one of these as seperate laws...I would LOVE to see them filibuster the no viagra for sex offenders one ;)

how many of these comments were actually written by baghdad bob/jhoger? any bets? I'd say roughly 75 % how funny is this janet's astroturfers at work?we read that fluff planned to spam and blanket the radio,internet and news media today but jhoger is really working over/double/triple time here-child take a break,we can all tell you really think you know what you are talking about but your arguments are almost exclusively talking points,either you are paid,a parrot, or a mindless minion.A tea bagger is a sexual phrase and not appropriate to use if you are trying for adult conversation,move along now

Boy, Tom Coburn, a gynecologist, I believe, is really trying to promote his own business. No Viagra, lots more babies. Who cares if they're not wanted, not loved, not provided for--or can't be. Coburn's going to really make out if he decided to leave his more lucrative employment in the Senate. Of course, now that Deacon Coburn has found subsidized, low-cost refuge at the Family's C St. House, and now that he's in the business of "counseling" all his wife-cheating roommates and colleagues, maybe he's passing the basket at that so-called church and charging big bucks for his religious advice to all those sinners like Mark Sanford and John Ensign--and not just for adultery, but for all their theft and manipulation of public funds and illegal, unethical job assignments.

lawrence,simply put-the staffers had a hand in writing the bill and know how bad it is. Voters will surely not be forgetting all of this ,but I really laugh at how the democrats are desperate to try and get their message out there.They have a slobbering media to help,Ben Smith is one,but dang,the real audiences are with fox news,talk radio , and conservative blogs.Wonder why that is? oh I get it,they tell the truth.Sucks to be dems right now with this economy and raising taxes.they broke it they bought it

Fabulous ammendments - Go Coburn!
Too bad most people only are focusing on the "positive" things in the healthcare (insurance regulations) and not the "negative" (massive government regulations on how doctors should practice medicine - seriously, the gvt knows much better how to heal a patient than someone who went to med school). At least Coburn has a realistic view of how gvt already and will even more control how we practice in our health care professions.

People don't realize that IF they vote to remove anything from this bill it has to go BACK to the House....Therefor the Democratic Senators will vote NO on everything....Then have to explain to their constituants that they voted FOR Viagra to Sex OFFENDERS

All you need to know about Republicans is stated by BitterClinger here. "Here's the deal on taxes - if you are married and live in any kind of high dollar area, it is very possible to get to household income of 250K." To Republicans middle class is $250K. Less than 1% of the U.S. population makes that much money. Republicans are the party of the rich. They care about 1% of Americans and to hell with everyone else. What arrogance!
The Bush Tax cuts created $2 Trillion of our national debt. It was a disaster for our Country. And if the tax rates that existed under Ronald Reagan were good enough for him, they should be good enough for us.
The real middle class in America, the ones who make @$40-60K a year, are nuts to vote for Republicans. The Republicans have done nothing for them. But they dazzle you with abortion and guns and you go along like lemmings. Saps.

These Libs are getting loonier by the day, minute and hour. Are they even sane anymore? They have totally lost their grip on reality. Oh yea, just what the SEX OFFENDER needs is VIAGRA. I tell ya----this is nuts, but then so is this congress. They will all be out on their ear in Nov.

I can see the ad now. A young man about 24 gets hit by a car and goes to the hospital with his parents. Nancy Pelosi is there holding the door open because the kid is on his parents insurance. But John Boehner runs up and hits the kid with a baseball bat and says: "No way are you going to get healthcare! Die, Die, Die."
This stuff writes itself.

the point is the pple r not stupid
all the dems have 2 say is we cnt take this up right now n the process but we promise 2 revisit these matters as soon as we get make frm the congresses pause but we want to make sure that the rights that the pple have achieved not b taken frm thm.
THE PPLE R NOT STUPID
the repubs dont know how 2 lose gracefully they act very childish & if they raise their children the same way I feel srry 4 them.
we r n a multi-cultural world & u alienate pple by being so closed minded.
i use 2 like the real tea parters but no one likes such nasty pple if they really read the constitution or the bible they wont find themselves in either.

but isn't this were someone is supposed to say that the amendment process is a perfectly legitimate legislative function which has been used by democrats 23 (or however many) times?

Yes, Stan in FL, it's a perfectly fine legislative function for them to do that. But just because the process is a legitimate legislative function doesn't mean it isn't being used with the intent of derailing the bill. If Democrats let it be derailed and we end up with the Senate version then that's their fault.

Posted By:

but isn't this were someone is supposed to say that the amendment process is a perfectly

They aren't. They have adequate health insurance, so they are already meeting the mandate. So they are no more exempt than I am with my adequate insurance plan.

Now, there is a provision of the bill that says that Congress and their staff must buy insurance that is available on the exchanges. POLITICO has a story up saying that SOME staffers may not be subject to this rule.

So what? The original whiney complaint was that somehow Congress wouldn't be subject to "ObamaCare" whatever that means (there is no Public Option any more so that is almost a meaningless phrase). No one is arguing that Congress is exempt. Now people are worried that some kinds of staffers might not be subject to some special rule that is MORE restrictive for Congress than the rest us?

the Repubs r cry babies
bad showmanship
I say give them as little power as possible so they dont reck our American Demorcacy
They r worse that the Taliban
chezzz grownup Repubs...well at least we got ed & healthcare & stimulus (still money left over )
we can do this pple
lets get more Dems n 4 our own sake

Way to go Coburn. I can see the elections in November, Democrats vote to allow sex offenders to get Vigra. Love it. Then, I see videos being made of Democrats like Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Dick Durbin, Mary Landreu standing next to sex offenders handing them viagra. Gotta love it.

Posted By: Way to go Coburn. I can see the elections in November, Democrats vote to allow sex offenders to get | March 24, 2010 at 12:40 AM

Isn't viagra already outlawed for sex offenders? Wouldn't that make this a frivolous amendment? Like the amendment they just presented that denies funds to Acorn. That amendment was previously passed in both houses, and besides, Acorn no longer exists. It disbanded today. These are silly.

Do you people ever ask yourself HOW you would accomplish such a thing? Will we all need to carry a card that PROVES we are not sex offenders? Maybe we can brand them with a scarlet letter on their foreheads...Talk about adding to the bureaucracy... *chuckle* knuckle-headed conservatives.

Now, doctors have to do background check to treat a patient? This is not in medical ethics. Republicans have to come up with other clever ideas like making an iron lock around the guy's genitalia. Now that is job creation: the manufacturer who makes the lock makes money, the doctor who recommends gets commission and the inventor of this lock will be filthy rich.
Is anybody comfortable with a doctor asking you about your criminal history? We doctors do ask about sexual life style to counsel the patient about the risks of multiple sexual partnership or unprotected sex.... but not whether the guy was arrested.
Wasn't this Coburn guy supposed to be a physician? It is really sad. Trust me, sex offenders rarely need viagra. Those creeps will continue their habits regardless of achieving erection.

What? Oh no, they are trying to take away my grandfather's plan? And they are trying to fiscally lecture the American public, and ensure the sex offenders get insurance viagra? And give the "HHS" authority of the "fate" of americans? *ay yay yay yay* Help us Republicans, Help us! Stop this evil health care reform!! Health care reform represents everything american republicans stand for -- "HEALTH", for one thing, "CARE" for another, and "REFORM" !!! sorry this is really stressing me out. I am typing on a laptop at a teaparty meeting AS WE SPEAK. I also want to say, that the new bill not only represents health, care and reform... it also disgustingly represents "HEALTH CARE", and, the "reform" of it... this bill is totally unAmerican, and will take hundreds of billions of dollars of middleman profit away from the insurance companies, who have owned this money for many, many years, and also strongly represent foreign corporations and media. It is totally unfair to take these profits and monies away from the lawfully corporate insurance companies, and direct that money into health care services, providers and social services. It is the most unAmerican thing ever. Every patriotic teapartier should, like me, protest day and night, vociferously, against this very unAmerican use of tax care and health care dollar$$ to INCREASE SPENDING on health care delivery, meanwhile COMPLETELY NEGLECTING our vital insurance corporations and their fiscal needs. Stand up Republicans!! This is the issue you MUST campaign on forever! "Stop Health Care" or "No Health Care" I think are good mottos. Bless you Senator Cantor, Joe Lieberman, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and all those other selfless Senators and media personalities who work so hard on this issue with no thought for their own profit, only out of precious integrity. Thank you thank you thank you

I'm more worried that government health care pays for Viagra for Senators.
What is more frightening than the idea that Sen. Tom Coburn might reproduce!
Yikes!
Oh wait, he's a Republican.
He'll be using Viagra in a men's room stall...

Hey alanmarv - It's actually the top 1.5%. We also pay 40% of all federal taxes, and the top 5% pays 60% of all federal taxes. You're welcome, BTW. This eat the rich mentality will bankrupt this country. You'll feel good while screwing us with at 25% tax hike, but you are only hurting the country and yourself in the end. But if feels so good, doesn't it? Screwing all those people who worked hard and took care of themselves and many others but creating companies, jobs, wealth, innovation......We are somewhere on the road to the fate of Greece, maybe Zimbabwe. I believe Aesop covered this some years back in his story about a goose.

If there is a separate stipulation regarding funding of "womens reproductive health" then there should also be a stipulation for "male reproductive health". That would mean no federal funding for Viagra. Our tax dollars already buy Viagra for Veterans.

I think this is a good amendment which should be approved. Medicaid in NY and probably also other states pay for Viagara for sex offenders. I don't want taxpayer dollars paying for ED drugs for sex offenders. http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/05/23/offenders.viagra/index.html

Guess Coburn forgot to try to add this during the last one year?? It just now dawned on him?? That's because Coburn is not really concerned about Viagra and sex offenders.......Coburn is just trying to throw a wrench in the works. I'm from Oklahoma.....Coburn just needs to press the Oklahoma legislature to pass a law prohibiting sex offenders being able to receive a prescription for Viagra, etc., in his home state. Coburn's tactic discredits Coburn's as a senator. Send him home for good.

No Viagra for sex addicts? As much as I agree with this in principle, I just have to wonder where the GOP will stop. The GOP does not want homosexuals to have sex, so will the GOP outlaw them from getting Viagra? How about the mentally retarded, people with genetic disorders, or anyone that does not adhere to their view of what is right?
Seems like the GOP is headed down the slippery slope of Fascism.

Boy, Tom Coburn, a gynecologist, I believe, is really trying to promote his own business. No Viagra, lots more babies. Who cares if they're not wanted, not loved, not provided for--or can't be.
SO gilhow......you are saying that aborting a baby IS wanting it, loving it and providing for it?!

They should propose separate legislation named the Tom Coburn Pervert Act, the Tom Coburn Anti-Jobs Act, the Tom Coburn Poor People Should Just Die Act, and the Tom Coburn Women Are Not People Act, and let him vote for them apples.

Why can't the Dems just outflank them? I mean have Reid give a floor speach about the problem with the amendment being contrary to the Reconcilliation process, but offer a stand alone bill with 59 democratic/independent co-sponsors that makes the change.
And while you're at it, point out that the Republican Medicare Part D program had done the same for sex offenders over Medicare age for a few years. Why do Republicans love old child molesters?

This is political nonesense. Sexual abuse originates in the brain, not the genitals. ED drugs make one hard, not horny. Sexual abuse does not require an erection. There are any number of meaningful ways to legislatively address sexual abuse. This is not one of them.

Does anyone in Congress understand how claims are paid? There is no way any claim system could administer this benefit, since there is no way for a claim system to identify whether someone was a sex offender or not. I can just see the screams if such a question was on an enrollment application.

Speaking of sex addicts, how about investigating why Pelosi knew of Mazza, sat on it for months, finds out the guy is voting no on Obamacare and only then moves to expose and expel him. Talk about Nixonian and a coverup. Can some good journalist get into this? Mazza will talk for the right price, he is desperate for money. In the meantime he went on sexually abusing interns and staff. Wow, that is a hot story. Does Mazza get viagra as an ex conrgressperson? If so, watch out for the kids he comes into contact with.

I called and spoke with Coburn's office to ask them why the Senator is in favor of confessed adulterers retaining the ability to have federal subsidies for the medication they use to cheat on their wives and wreck their families. They couldn't give an answer. Not surprising given that each of these senators and their staff have their health insurance premiums subsidized by money borrowed from China. They don't seem to mind that fact.

I called and spoke with Coburn's office to ask them why the Senator is in favor of confessed adulterers retaining the ability to have federal subsidies for the medication they use to cheat on their wives and wreck their families. They couldn't give an answer. Not surprising given that each of these senators and their staff have their health insurance premiums subsidized by money borrowed from China. They don't seem to mind that fact.

Smart politics, perhaps, but despicable tactics. The Economist had a very good report last year on how unjust the laws in this particular respect are. If I recall correctly, a 17-year old who sleeps with his girlfriend who's still 16 (in a state where this is illegal), for example, would end up on the same list as someone who actually raped someone. Unless this is sorted out, such proposals are cynical and indefensible.

I"Boy, Tom Coburn, a gynecologist, I believe, is really trying to promote his own business. No Viagra, lots more babies."/I
- Liberals - it's OK, really, because you'll be able to abort them.
I'm surprised black politicians are supporting abortion language. The vast number of people who will benefit from the Healthcare bill are black and/or liberals, which means that more black and liberal babies will be killed.
At least with fewer future liberals, we might be able to get control of our country again....

I absolutely agree with the amendments against Viagra and/or ED meds for sex offenders. Why in the hell would you want a man who preys on young girls/boys to have access to those medications?
And taxes on Band-Aids?? Do they know how much they charge for them now?
The best one though, hands down is the Bureaucrat Cap and Trade. Why should the government expand and waste even MORE of our tax dollars without having to balance out? This bill is supposed to be deficit neutral, correct? How would that be possible with extra government jobs thrown in the mix without cuts elsewhere?

Hmmm . . . something tells me Coburn probably knows a lot about Viagra. I mean, come on, C Street house probably is fully stocked. When this man speaks he does it with full arrogance and disdain. It's almost like he thinks he is God or something. Heaven help the Republicons.

while conservative repubs have stonewalled the passage of Health Care Reform and offered a "Nothing" plan that cost $66B, hundreds of USA citizens died over the past 12 months due to the lack of Health Care Coverage. Throw all the LOSERS out of Washington. Hypocrites will vote to spend $7 Trillion Dollars on military expenditures to Kill others...

Actually, Dems are already planning to get around the "you voted for rapists" stigma by redrafting amendments as individual legislation, separating them from the reconciliation bill, allowing them to vote yes.

The Dems should turn around after the reconciliation vote and submit each of these items as a seperate bill, especially since Republicans seem to like their laws on a single page, in crayon. But let them vote on every one of these as seperate laws...I would LOVE to see them filibuster the no viagra for sex offenders one ;).........YES HEAVEN FORBID A BILL BE TO THE POINT, STUDENT LOANS IN A HEALTH CARE BILL?? This is the problem in Washington--each issue should stand on its own with a straight up or straight down vote. No goodies thrown in for anyone's vote.

I'm confused about the viagra thing. Was it explicitly in the bill that sex offenders would get coverage, or were they simply not excluded. I would read it but I don't have time for 2700 pages just now.